Nicușor Dan wins Romanian presidential election
Nicușor-Daniel Dan is the winner of the Romanian presidential election, securing 53.60% of the valid votes cast, based on the final data following the centralization of all 20,085 vote minutes.
Nicușor Dan received a total of 6,168,696 votes, leading by over 829,000 votes against his opponent, George-Nicolae Simion, who garnered 5,338,999 votes, representing 46.40% of the total.
More than 1.6 million Romanians in the country and abroad had voted by 9:00 am
Two hours after the opening of the polls, more than 1.6 million Romanians voted in the country and abroad (9.17%). 680,132 of them are voters on the permanent lists and 893,067 are voters on supplementary lists. Also, 451 people requested the mobile ballot box to vote. According to euronews, turnout is higher than in the first round. At 9am two weeks ago, some 1.1 million Romanians had voted.
More than 81,000 Moldovans with Romanian citizenship had voted in the 64 polling stations open across Moldova by 9am on Sunday.
Nicușor Dan: I voted for a society in which we have a dialog and not one in which we are divided
Independent presidential candidate Nicușor Dan voted on Sunday in his native Făgăraș, declaring that he voted for a change that would bring prosperity, not one that would bring adventure and discourage investment, according to news.ro.
Nicușor Dan told journalists as he left the polling station that he voted for change that would bring prosperity and not change that would bring adventure.
"I voted with many people in mind who are quiet, honest, hard-working and who have not felt represented for a long time. Two weeks ago Romanians voted for change. The question is which change and I voted for a change that will bring prosperity and not one that will bring adventure and discourage investment in Romania," said Nicușor Dan.
He added that he voted for a society in which we can have dialog, not be divided.
"I voted for a European direction and for good cooperation with our European partners, not for Romania's isolation. I voted for a society in which we manage to have dialog and not one in which we are divided. I voted with hope because Romania has people both in Romania and in the diaspora who can build the Romania we want", said Nicușor Dan.
He explained that he had chosen to vote in Făgăraș "to tell people that there should not be two Romanias, one of big cities and one of rural areas and small towns, and that we need to spread prosperity throughout Romania".
Asked how he sees the future starting tomorrow, Nicușor Dan replied that there is hope for change, but that everything depends on Sunday's vote.
George Simion and Călin Georgescu, together at the polls: "I voted against those who disregard us all"
AUR Presidential candidate George Simion voted on Sunday at a polling station in Mogoșoaia, together with Călin Georgescu, Simion declaring that he voted "against those who disregard us all", news.ro reports.
Simion and Georgescu came together with their wives and were accompanied by dozens of people chanting "Călin Georgescu - president".
After voting, Călin Georgescu told journalists present at the polling station: "What today is not a vote, it is a confession. It is more than a vote," said Georgescu.
He was interrupted by a police officer who drew their attention to the fact that they could not give statements in the polling station.
"It's not very nice what you've done, but it's not a problem," Simion said, and the two walked out of the polling station.
Later, in the hallway of the polling station, George Simion said that he had voted for the future of the country to be decided by Romanians.
"I voted against the injustices done against the Romanian people. (...) I voted against those who disregard us all. I voted for our future to be decided only by Romanians, for Romanians and for Romania. So help us God", said Simion.
Afterwards, the AUR candidate and Călin Georgescu left the polling station.
Presidential elections Romania, round 2. Romanians choose who will be president of the country
Voting in Romania for the second round of the presidential election started at 7am on Sunday, with almost 18 million Romanians expected to vote in 18,979 polling stations to choose their president from the two candidates qualified in the final run-off for the Cotroceni, George Simion and Nicușor Dan. 159 international observers have been accredited for this election, almost double the number for the November 2024 elections. The voting process, both at home and in the diaspora, closes at 21.00 CET.
Voting procedure for the 2025 presidential elections
Romanian voters are expected at one of the almost 19,000 polling stations organized in Romania for the second round of the 2025 presidential elections.
The voting procedure is simple and takes just a few minutes. Once at the polling station, the voter will present his or her ID to the computer operator, who will retrieve the data and enter it into the computerized system for monitoring voter turnout and preventing illegal voting (SIMPV).
The voter will then sign the electoral roll and receive the ballot paper for the 2025 Presidential Elections - second round and the stamp.
Voting will take place in closed booths. The voter will affix the "VOTED" stamp for one of the two candidates in the 2025 presidential election.
He/she will then exit the voting booth, place the ballot paper in the ballot box, hand over the stamp and receive back the ID card with the "VOTED" sticker.
Voter turnout in the 2025 presidential elections monitored in real time
As in the first round, voter turnout in the second round of the 2025 presidential elections will be monitored in real time and can be followed on the platform provided by the Permanent Electoral Authority: prezenta.roaep.ro.
Also on Election Day, the Central Electoral Office will also publicly present the turnout data for the presidential elections of May 18, 2025.
When we will find out who is the President of Romania
First estimates on the outcome of the 2025 presidential election will be released at 21:00. Once the polls close, exit-poll results will be published. Three pollsters have been accredited to conduct exit polls nationwide in Sunday's presidential election: the AVANGARDE Socio-Behavioral Studies Group; the Center for Urban and Regional Sociology - CURS; and ARA Public Opinion.
The exit polls are not, however, the official results of the second round of the 2025 presidential election. Exit-poll polls are conducted as soon as voters leave the polling booths. In this way, votes can be assessed and predictions can be made before the official announcement of the election results.
The official announcement of the results of the 2025 presidential elections will be made by the Central Electoral Office after the polls close, and the election results will be available in real time on the prezenta.roaep.ro platform.
Depending on the pace at which the minutes from each polling station are counted and processed, as well as how close the battle is, Romanians could find out who the new president of Romania is during the night from Sunday to Monday, euronews reports.
Over 40 thousand Romanians voted in the Republic of Moldova
Over 40 thousand Moldovans with Romanian citizenship voted in the Republic of Moldova, by 09:30, in the second round of the presidential elections in Romania. In total, more than 285 thousand Romanians cast their votes at polling stations abroad. The number is more than double the same time of the first round.
Day two of voting for Moldovan citizens with Romanian citizenship
Over 31,000 Moldovan citizens with Romanian citizenship had voted in the Republic of Moldova by 9:30 a.m. as part of the second round of Romania's presidential elections. In total, over 242,000 Romanians have cast their votes at polling stations open abroad.
21:00 Polling stations closed: over 28 thousand Romanians from the Republic of Moldova voted on the first day
The first day of voting in the diaspora, within the presidential elections in Romania, has ended. Over 28 thousand Romanians from the Republic of Moldova voted at the 64 polling stations organized on the country's territory.
Over 203 thousand Romanians voted in polling stations abroad by 21:00
Almost 31,000 voted in the United Kingdom, over 29,700 in Italy, 29,500 in Germany, over 23,000 in Spain. In comparison, in the first round of the elections, at the same time, over 108,000 people had voted abroad, by 21:00, writes Digi24.
We remind you that Moldovans with Romanian citizenship can also exercise their right to vote on Saturdays and Sundays. The polling stations will be open between 07:00 and 21:00.
Almost 26 thousand Moldovans with Romanian citizenship voted in the Republic of Moldova by 19:30
Over 25,900 Moldovans with Romanian citizenship voted in the Republic of Moldova by 19:30, in the second round of the presidential elections in Romania. In total, 166 thousand Romanians voted in polling stations abroad by this time.
Over 21,000 Romanians voted in Moldova by 5:30 PM
As of 5:30 PM, over 21,000 Romanian citizens voted in the Republic of Moldova in the second round of the Romanian presidential elections. In total, over 120,000 Romanians voted abroad.
16:06 Chisinau responds to George Simion's fraud allegations
George Simion, the AUR candidate for the Romanian presidential elections, accuses the Chisinau Government of electoral fraud. In response, the Chisinau Executive rejects the accusations and encourages citizens with dual citizenship to vote "without fear."
Over 16,500 Romanians voted in the Republic of Moldova by 3:30 p.m.
By 3:30 p.m., over 16,500 Romanian citizens had exercised their right to vote in the Republic of Moldova, in the second round of the presidential elections in Romania. Our country holds first place among the states with the highest voter turnout in the diaspora.
In comparison, about 12,000 people voted in Italy, 12,000 in the United Kingdom, 10,000 in Germany, 9,600 in Spain, and approximately 4,100 in France.
Over 88,000 Romanians have voted in polling stations abroad by this time.
Over 12,400 Romanians have voted in the Republic of Moldova by 1:30 p.m.
By 1:30 p.m., over 12,400 Moldovans with Romanian citizenship had voted in the Republic of Moldova in the second round of the presidential elections in Romania.
Digi 24 writes that the diaspora already has a higher presence, almost double that of the first round, held two weeks ago. In the Republic of Moldova, nearly three times as many citizens have voted compared to the first round.
Over 7,500 Romanians voted in the Republic of Moldova by 11:30 AM
By 11:30 AM, over 7,500 Romanian citizens had voted in the Republic of Moldova's second round of presidential elections. The Republic of Moldova remains among the countries with the highest voter turnout in the diaspora.
For comparison, in other states with large Romanian communities, the turnout is lower: in Italy approximately 4,500 people voted, in Germany – 3,500, in Spain – 3,000, in the United Kingdom – 2,800, and in France – 1,300.
Over 32,800 Romanians cast their votes at polling stations opened abroad.
Over 3,000 Romanians voted in Moldova by 9:30 AM
As of 9:30 AM, over 3,000 Romanian citizens have voted at polling stations open in Moldova for the second round of the Romanian presidential election. They represent approximately a quarter of the 13,000 votes cast in the diaspora. The voting process abroad began on Thursday evening, in New Zealand, and will end on Sunday, May 18, at 9:00 PM.
In Chisinau, queues have formed at several polling stations since the early morning. Voters say they want a European Romania and a worthy president. George Simion, the AUR candidate, and Nicușor Dan, an independent candidate, remain in the race. Among the first voters was MEP Eugen Tomac, who urged Romanians in the diaspora to participate massively in the vote.
Students from military schools must have one of the following documents: an electronic identity card, provisional identity card, identity card, diplomatic passport, service passport, simple passport, temporary passport, or military service card.
The electoral process began on the evening of May 15, at 10:00 PM (Romanian time), with the opening of the first polling station in Auckland, New Zealand. In total, 965 polling stations are organized outside Romania's borders in 142 countries – a record number compared to previous elections. By the time the ballot boxes opened, 3,139 Romanians abroad had voted by mail, according to the Permanent Electoral Authority website. In the first round, 4,106 Romanians had voted by mail.
In Romania, the election takes place on a single day – May 18 – in approximately 18,968 polling stations, and over 18 million citizens with the right to vote are registered on the permanent electoral lists.
The elected president's mandate is five years, and his or her duties include foreign policy, national defense, the appointment of key state officials, and mediation between institutions. The Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) and the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) supervise the electoral process, and the real-time publication of relevant data ensures transparency.
We recall that in the first round of the presidential elections in Romania on May 4, approximately 91 thousand voters voted in the Republic of Moldova, thus exceeding the record of almost 81,000 set in the first round of the cancelled presidential elections on November 24, 2024. According to AEP data, the most active voters in the Republic of Moldova were those aged between 45 and 64, while young people aged 18-24 were the fewest.
Citizens with dual citizenship in the Republic of Moldova were among the most active voters outside Romania, after those in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.
